Maker's Mark Mile

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Friday's $300,000 Maker's Mark Mile (G1) features the 2008 debut of KIP

DEVILLE (Kipling), who was last seen winning the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) over

the soft turf at Monmouth Park. Heavy rain is expected to hit the Keeneland sod,

but it is one of most durable turf courses in the country and we can't envision

officials moving this recently crowned Grade 1 event to the Polytrack. That

would cause the Maker's Mark Mile to be automatically downgraded to Grade 2

status, pending a review by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

Not only does Kip Deville relish ground with some give to it, the Richard

Dutrow-trained gray is two-for-two over the turf at Keeneland, winning the Bryan

Station S. in 2006 and last year's edition of the Maker's Mark Mile. The

five-year-old distinguished himself in the 2007 Maker's Mark, defeating the

heavily favored and very well-regarded Showing Up (Strategic Mission) by a neck,

and he increased his career earnings to more than $2.4 million with his

one-length score in the Breeders' Cup Mile. Kip Deville can lead or rate, and

jockey Cornelio Velasquez figures to secure a forwardly placed trip, just off

the early leaders, while saving ground from the rail post. We'll give the classy

horse top honors.

WAR MONGER (War Chant) looks like a rapidly improving four-year-old colt who

could be a major player at the Grade 1 level this season for Bill Mott. We loved

his win in the Sunshine Millions Turf two starts back, overcoming trouble on

both turns to win going away in dramatic fashion, and the bay shipped to Santa

Anita for the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1). War Monger was a little rank during

the early stages and weakened to third in deep stretch, but it should serve as a

valuable experience for the up-and-coming colt. He's got experience over turf

with some give to it, winning the Rutgers S. three starts back, and will keep

Kent Desormeaux in the saddle. War Monger, who is listed at 10-1 on the morning

line, figures to be charging late.

RUFF AND READY (More Than Ready) will enter his graded debut on the upswing

for Todd Pletcher, winning all four turf starts since making his grass bow in

October of 2006, and the six-year-old could crash the top three at big odds on

Friday (10-1 on the morning line). The chestnut returned from a 12 1/2-month

layoff last fall and opened this season with a couple of sharp performances at

Gulfstream, including a 5 3/4-length tally in the Shotintheheart S. last time

out that netted him a career-best 105 BRIS Speed rating. The competition will be

much tougher in this spot, but Ruff and Ready could come rolling late for a

share.

COSMONAUT (Lemon Drop Kid) has turned in commendable efforts in his last

three starts, which all came on yielding or soft turf courses, including a

victory in the Tampa Bay S. last out and a third in the Breeders' Cup Mile. Now

trained by Philip Serpe, the six-year-old gray will keep Edgar Prado in the

saddle for this appearance and looms as a win threat given his strong recent

form. He just missed at Keeneland last fall when second by a neck in the

Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), and we have a ton of respect for the millionaire.

Multiple Grade 1 hero EINSTEIN (Brz) (Spend a Buck) will cut back to eight

furlongs off his game victory in the 1 3/8-mile Gulfstream Park Turf S. (G1),

but the Helen Pitts runner did capture a one-mile allowance/optional claiming

event at Gulfstream earlier this season. The six-year-old has never raced over

the local course, but Einstein still merits respect for the exotics. He could

show speed from post 2 with Robby Albarado.

Kiaran McLaughlin is doing well at Keeneland, winning the Saturday and Sunday

features on the opening weekend, and SHAKIS (Ire) (Machiavellian) is one of two

contestants from the hot conditioner. Winner of the Bernard Baruch H. (G2) two

starts back, Shakis wrapped up last season with a fast-finishing third in the

Shadwell Turf Mile, indicating a liking for the turf at Keeneland. The Shadwell

runner may prefer a little more ground and could probably use a race off the

six-    month vacation, but we won't be surprised to see Shakis

fire his best shot from off the bench.

ZANN (Dynaformer) also hails from the McLaughlin stable, and the

five-year-old came on at the end of 2007, recording close runner-up finishes in

the Citation H. (G1) and Oak Tree Mile (G2). He didn't fare well when stretching

out to 11 furlongs in the Gulfstream Park Turf most recently, but Zann is much

better at a mile (9-2-3-2). However, he'll need to step up with a career best to

be a serious factor here. We could understand using the late-running horse in

the gimmicks.

OUT OF CONTROL (Brz) (Vettori) probably needed his last start off the layoff,

a dead-heat fourth-place effort in the Kilroe Mile, and the multiple Grade 2 runner owns

some back class. However, he's made all of his U.S. turf starts on firm courses

in Southern California, and most of his starts have come against small fields.

He'll have to prove his mettle here without us.

THOUSAND WORDS (GB) (Dansili [GB]) is cross-entered to Saturday's

Commonwealth S. (G2) on the Polytrack. The English Group 3 winner exits a

victory over allowance/optional claiming rivals on the turf at Santa Anita, but

we're willing to go against in this spot. With Frankel already having Out of

Control in this field, we expect to see Thousand Words opt for the Commonwealth.

THORN SONG (Unbridled's Song) got very good for Dale Romans last fall,

upsetting Cosmonaut when winning the River City H. (G3) last November, but he's

appeared off form in his two starts this year and has never run at Keeneland.

The gray also got the worst of the post position draw on the far outside.

PARADING (Pulpit), who has been freshened off an allowance/optional claiming

score on February 24, will make his stakes debut in a tough spot. We'll let the

five-year-old surprise us.